Great Minds Distinguished Lecture Series explores solar fuels in inaugural event
The University of West Florida Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering will launch its 2018 Great Minds Distinguished Lecture Series on Jan. 18 with Dr. Nathan Lewis of California Institute of Technology presenting a public lecture, “Where in the World Will Our Energy Come From?” with a reception at 5:30 p.m. and the lecture from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Museum of Commerce in Historic Pensacola. On Jan. 19 at noon, Lewis will present, “Artificial Photosynthesis: Direct Production of Fuels from Sunlight,” a scientific lecture at UWF in Building 58A, Room 105. Both events are free and open to the public.
Lewis has been active in the solar fuels/solar chemical field for over 40 years. He has published over 500 papers, presented hundreds of public and technical plenary and invited lectures and is responsible for training a preeminent cohort of globally leading researchers in the solar fuels field.
Lewis’s work has been the subject of media coverage by ABC News, National Public Radio and Scientific American. He continues to contribute to the discussion of how to meet current and future energy needs and has been cited by thought-leaders, including Bill Gates and Thomas Friedman. Lewis is a distinguished advisor to industry, government, academia, and national and international media the role of research and development in clean energy innovation.
Lewis earned bachelor and master’s degrees in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology. In 1981, he obtained a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after working under the supervision of professor Mark S. Wrighton in 1981. Lewis then began as an assistant professor at Stanford University and was promoted to associate professor in 1986. In 1988, Lewis returned to Caltech where he is currently the George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry.
The 2018 HMCSE Great Minds Distinguished Lecture Series will continue with additional presentations from Dr. Jyotika Virmani of the Shell Ocean Discovery X-Prize, Feb. 15-16, and speakers, James Rea and Lydia Franco-Hodges, from the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, March 8.
For more information about the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, visit uwf.edu/hmcse or call 850.474.3455.
